of cleveland



imam. RIM LOCKING STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 7, 192a 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Elwomtozv 35 fibre (met;

Patented J an. 27, 1931 UNITEDQFSTATEIS PA ENT OFFICE f JOHN W. HOLT, OFCLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNCR T NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND STEEL CASTINGSCOMPANY, OF'CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO f WHEEL-RIM-IQOCKING-s'rnno'runn Application filed 0ctober 7, 1926. Serial naiaaeea Fig. l isa view partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section of awheel spoke and rim interlocking structure embodying V the invention;Fig. 2 is a view in vertical seeis a view similar to Fig. 1 showing amodified form of the invention; and Fig. i is a vertical sectional viewtaken on the line 4- .1: of Fig. 3.

My invention relates to the construction of wheels for automotivevehicles, and has for anobject the provision of means for pre- 7 ventlngcircumferential movement of the wheel rim relative to the spo'kememberspWith this end in view the invention comprises means forlocking the rimto the spokeand structure through the intermediary of an interlockingengagementbetween the rim and spoke members; Other features of theinvention will be hereinafter described and claimed. 1

Referring to the drawings for a more dethere is shown the end portion ofa vehicle wheel spoke 5 and an adjacent rim portion 6 seated directly onthe end of the spoken. The spoke member 5 is provided at its inner sidewith an inclined seat 7 onwhich is'received a'correspondingly inclinedrib memher 8 0f the rim 6. The outer or forward portion ofth'e rim 6isalso provided with a rib member 9. Between the rib member 9' of therim. 6 and a forwardly located resilient strut member '10, formedintegrally with the spoke member 5, a wedging clip memberll is adaptedto be interposed to force and hold the rim member 6 in seated positionon the ends of the spoke members 5 of the wheel structure. 7 V

This organization of structure follows very closely that described in myprior app1ica= tion for patent, Serial No. 113,363, the resilient strutmember 10 being in particular a common feature of the presentapplicationand the prior application referred to.

The wedging clip member 11 is provided with'a downwardly extending bodyportion 12 having a perforation 13 therein. through whichabolt may bepassed and extendedthrough corresponding perforations inthe 7 forwardwall or strut member 10 of the spoke r and, a rearward wall 15 thereontoelamp the lwedging-clip member 11 into holding rela- 6 tion taken onthe line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3

tion to the rim member 6, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.V

' Preferably, the shoulder 16 is extended vertically as at 17 on eachside of the member 12 in order to provide a seat orhousing for the clipmember structure. l i

An important feature of the invention re- 'sidesin the provision whichis made for locking the rim member. 6 against circumferentialmovement'on thespoke members 5. In Figs. 1 and 20f the drawings thisfeature takes the form of an interlocking relation j that is providedbetween the clip member the wedge or the toggle member employed inholding the rim to its seat-on the ends of the 1 1'and the rib or headmember9. This interlocking relation *of the members takes the form ofanotch or recess '18 formedin the head or rib member 9 and into which arashownin Figsgl and'2 of the drawings. It

will'be seen that this relation of the clip member 11 and the rim member6 is such as by the flanking projection 17 on the} strut member 10 aswell as by engagementof the wedge portion 11 of the clip member betweenwing or flange members'20 forming the side 'fivalls of the spokestructure) The movable' relation of the 'clipmember 11, which is thusprovided, also relieves thebolt' 14 passing be se'eli.

Referring to Figs. 3fa 1'1d4c of the -draw-' ,therethrough from shearingstresses, as will 'ings, there is shown a modified form of theIIIVQntlOl'tllTWhlCh instead of a wedgingclip member, such as shown'inFigs. 1 and 2, a toggle member 21 is provided which 1s adapts 'edrto beforced between a shoulder 22, formed on the forward face of'the spokemember .23, and a lug member 24 attached to the under surface of-the rim25'. The spoke member 23 is provided with a terminal seat 26' having aninclined formation adapted to re- .dially extending projection or lug19, formed iv on the clip member 11, projects, as is clearly taileddescription of the invention, in Fig. 1

ceive a correspondinglyinclined face 27 of the lug member 24. It Willbeseen that an oppositely inclined face 28 of the lug member 24 is adaptedto be received on the upper inclined face of the toggle member 21. Abolt 29, passing through the Wall 30 of the spoke structure and throughthe toggle member 21, is adapted to pullthe parts into close adjacencyto each other to thereby force the toggle member into holding relationto the lug member 24 carried by the rim 25.

In this form of the invention an interlocking relation is providedbetween the toggle member 21 and the lug member 24 carried by the rim 25througlrthe provision of upwardly extending projections 31 formed on thetoggle member 21 in flanking relation to the lug member 24 which iscarried by the rim Thus, it will be seen that circumferential movementofthe rim with relation to the spoke members is prevented since the lugmember 24, which is permanently attached to the rim structure, isrestrained from circumferential movement by the position which itoccupies between the upstanding lugs or ears 51 on the engaging togglemember 21. Lateral movement of the toggle member 21 in its seat isprevented by the flanking Wings or flanges 32 forming the side Wallsofthe spoke structure. I

It Will be seen that in the two forms of the invention which havedescribed provision is made to prevent circumferential movement of therim with relation to the spoke members and that this is accomplishedwithout the addition of parts specially formed for the purpose on therim members. ln one case an attached lug member, which is normallyprovided, is utilized in conjunction with a specially formed togglemember. In the other case a simple notch formed in a bead projectingfrom therim member cooperates With a corresponding lug or projection ona Wedging clip member used in holding the rim in place on its seats.

The terms and expressions Which I have employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the useof such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanicaleqnivalentsofthe features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognizethat va rious structural modifications are possible within the scope ofthe invention claimed.

\Vhat I claim is 1 la a vehicle \vheel construction, ati rc supportingrim, spoke members forn ied with inclined seats adjacent the inner edgesof their terminal portions, an inclincdbead member on the rim adapted toengage said seats, an inclined bead member formed on the rim adjacentthe outer edge thereof, a resilient strut member forming piart'of theouter face of a spoke member adjacent the terminal portion thereof, aseat formed on the outer face ber.

JOHN \V. HOLT.

